I first bought a bottle of Clynelish (Klyn-leesh) 14 year old at it’s full price of around £35, and after finishing it surprisingly quickly, I thought it was worth every penny, so when I saw it on offer I snapped another bottle up.

This is a great summer dram as it is a wonderfully light and refreshing, with the coastal roots very apparent, the saltiness really adds to it’s freshness. At 46% abv you would be forgiven for thinking that it will have some real alcohol burn, but you would be pleasantly surprised. There is some there but it is not overpowering and does not take away from the pure quality that is present in this dram. I also find that the longer it has to aerate, the less the abv is apparent so I do not usually add any water.

I did add some water for this tasting however so that I could portray what it is like. Adding a small amount of water does very little to the nose or palate; adding enough to reduce the abv burn however, just makes the palate a bit too watery and bland unfortunately and kills the finish. The nose changes very little however but it does bring out a saltiness that was not really there originally, but the oakyness seems to disappear.

Overall I would have to say that this is my ‘everyday’ dram, I have just finished this bottle and will be on the lookout for a replacement. Until I find a whisky that is as light and refreshing as this, that also has enough complexity to make it an interesting dram every time I have one, I will always try to keep a bottle in, a wonderful dram. If you have any suggestions by the way, they would be much appreciated.